Bankers Are Betting on Supersize Bonuses This Year With Profits Surging 

Traders and investment bankers are reigning supreme on Wall Street, at least if you are judging by their bonuses. Those employees work in banks’ hot spots this year and are expected to see year-end bonuses rise as much as 30% from a year ago, according to a report from compensation consultant Johnson Associates. 

The outsize rewards for traders and investment bankers seem all but guaranteed, with big banks raking in bumper profits this year from volatile markets and huge stock offerings, including the stock-market debut of Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Google parent Alphabet’s $80 billion equity financing.  

Year-end bonuses for the wider group of investment and commercial bankers are expected to climb 10% to 15% from a year ago, according to the report. That is the most of all the broader categories of finance tracked by the report, including wealth management and traditional asset management. 

“Banks are leading the way for the first time in a while,” said Alan Johnson, founder and managing director of Johnson Associates.  

Wall Street Journal / August 5, 2026